Complementary practices

Chanting at fingertips or segments

"Hare Rama ..." mantra

This is my favorite mantra. It has four lines 

Hara Rama, Hare Rama

Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna 

Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.

I have been chanting the above mantra for about 25 years.

I learned about the power of chanting from the book "The Mantram Handbook" by Eknath Easwaran. His books initiated me into meditation. His teachings made a lasting impression on me and changed my life.   

This mantra comes to my mind automatically whenever my mind is idle or stressed. It pops up as soon as I begin to walk. This happens at home, in the parking lot, or the store, and even when I go up and down the steps. 

I chant it in the morning upon waking up in the bed. Sometimes I chant the complete mantra at each tip or segment of the fingers. This goes on as long as I am in the bed. 

Another time this mantra comes to my mind is when while driving. It happens when waiting at a stop light, stop sign; or an intersection. When waiting at the red light, I keep chanting until the light turns green. When I wait at a stop sign it comes to my mind. 

When waiting at an intersection to take a turn

I have the turn signal on and it is making a tick-tick-tick ... sound. I am looking in both directions for a safe opportunity. The mantra comes to mind the moment I hear the tick-tick sound. I keep chanting the mantra matching each 'tick' sound with one syllable of the mantra. See below. I continue chanting as long as my car is still. The chant stops when I move the car.

Tick - Hare

Tick -  Rama 

Tick - Hare

so on ......

Melodious chanting of the above mantra by ISKON devotees on YouTube video. (63 Million views)

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"Sarve janah sukhino bhavanthu". 

In Sanskrit language this means "May all beings be happy"

I chant it during the exhales, inhales, or both. It spreads relaxation into all parts of my body when practiced for an extended period.

"Thank You, God for Everything"

I have been chanting this mantra on waking up in the morning. I chant it during the inhales and exhales. I like its impact on the mind and body.

Praying for individual(s)

I have also been chanting "Oh God! Please help (Full name of the person whom I am working with or wish to help)".

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Eating meditation

I introduced mindful eating meditation to a client as he had diabetes and needed to lose some weight. This was the second time I practiced it with a client. 

How did we do it? 

We put two raisins in the mouth. 

We didn't bite the raisins with the teeth. We squeezed them, chewed them like candy, and moved them around with the tongue.

We didn't swallow the pasty raisins. We kept chewing without biting them. Whenever the mouth was full of saliva we swallowed only the liquid.   

What happened?

The stiff raisins absorbed the saliva. The tongue moved them and squeezed them non-stop. Their rough wrinkled skins became soft. The hard raisins became pliable. The pulp inside the raisins leaked out of the skin in small quantities generating a sweet taste. Finally, only the tasteless skin also disintegrated into small pieces. These pieces were also swallowed with the saliva.

We didn't time it. I guess we ate two raisins in 10 to 15 minutes. Next time we will time it. 

Eating meditation In real life

I suggest to clients to eat whatever solid foods they eat in the following manner.

Take smaller quantities into the plate.

Put a tablespoon of food in the mouth. 

While chewing and swallowing, focus on the 'drama' happening inside the mouth. 

Bite and chew in the usual manner but don't swallow anything. Focus on the changing texture of the solid food. Solids become paste and saliva accumulates in the mouth.  

Don't swallow the pasty food. 

Keep chewing.  

Wait for liquified food to fill the mouth.  

Every time your mouth feels full of liquid,  swallow ONLY the liquified food in the mouth by squeezing the stuff with the tongue. 

Resume biting and chewing. The remaining solids will generate the next batch of liquified food.

Continue swallowing only the liquified food.

Then, put the next tablespoon of food in the mouth. Continue the process. 

When you feel full, stop putting any more food into the mouth.   

Store the remaining food if any, for the next meal.

Experiences 

'Harry" and I practiced 'Eating meditation' in a meetup group. He chewed a single cashew and I chewed a single rice crispy treat. We chewed slowly till enough liquid accumulated in the mouth. We swallowed only the liquified food. It took 7 minutes to completely- chew the items. Harry said he was snacking on cashews routinely but never knew that cashews could taste so sweet!  

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My experience

I never ate food in the above manner though I liked the idea. When I started preaching it to others, I felt guilty for preaching what I was not practicing. Then, I started eating this way. In about a month, it has become my natural way of eating at all times. 

When I ate in old style, I used to feel my stomach bloated. But after practicing eating meditation, my stomach feels light as if I  didn't eat much.

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A client had a chronic problem of biting his cheeks and tongue before. After he started practicing eating meditation this problem is gone!

.....

"I started chewing my food slowly and swallowed the liquid that was generated from chewing. I have noticed that it feels good doing so and helps my digestion. I have noticed a difference in how I felt after every meal." - Client  

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One mom reported "I was always stuffing food and ate very fast. Now I am enjoying eating slowly. This is a big change for me."  

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If the above practices make sense, experiment with your variations and see what works for you. 

I would like to know what worked for you. I would like to post your report with or without your name honoring your choice. 

Related page

Focusing on breathing